More than 13,000 comments were submitted in response to TAG's plans to change the airspace

TAG Farnborough Airport has released a feedback report following a consultation on controversial plans to chance airspace.

The airport wants to submit an Aerospace Change Proposal to the UK Civil Aviation Authority, so there is a more predictable flow of traffic around the airport, resulting in fewer flights at low altitude and aircraft flying fewer miles.

A public consultation was launched in February and was due to end on May 2 but was extended to May 12 after a technical fault meant comments left between 11.02am on April 11 and 10.08am on April 16 had been lost.

All comments were analysed and TAG has now published a feedback document, providing a summary analysis of the numbers and types of responses received.

The consultation generated more than 13,000 comments, including around 2,500 from stakeholders.

The feedback report from TAG states that stakeholders were concerned about access to the proposed airspace, justification for the proposed changes and safety issues caused by the compression of non-Farnborough aircraft around or beneath the airspace.

Stakeholders also raised concern about the environmental impact and safety of the proposal.

A total of 484 comments were submitted regarding the economic impact of the changes, of which 99% were negative.

TAG will now consider any changes to the airspace proposal, based on the responses received, and a second feedback report is due to be published in early 2015, before an application is submitted to the Civil Aviation Authority.

The report from TAG states: “An essential part of the consultation process is to take the areas of concern, the design ideas, and the alternatives proposed in the consultation responses and then consider whether these can be incorporated into a refined airspace design.

“An essential part of the consultation process is to take the areas of concern, the design ideas, and the alternatives proposed in the consultation responses and then consider whether these can be incorporated into a refined airspace design.

“This is a complex proposal and has generated a large number of responses, hence the time and amount of work required to consider those responses in the appropriate manner is considerable.”

TAG claims its proposal will mean planes would not disturb residents as frequently and passengers could travel more efficiently, however, the plans have come under fire from residents living nearby, councils and flying groups.

Kevin Daley, a member of the Farnborough Aerodrome Consultative Committee (FACC) and chairman of the Mytchett, Frimley Green and Deepcut society, said a number of constituents fought against plans to increase the airport’s traffic movements.

Matthew Evans, head of planning for Waverley Borough Council, also raised strong concerns about the plans.

She has been editorial director of the online and print titles in Surrey and north-east Hampshire since 2007. Marnie previously worked at the BBC as a producer for 5 Live, having moved to national radio from BBC Sussex and Surrey.